The present invention relates to a chain and a method for the manufacture of a chain by riveting, said chain consisting of mutually connected chain links, each comprising a back portion and two parallel wall portions protruding substantially perpendicularly therefrom, in which wall portions corresponding rivet holes have been provided in each of the two end members of the chain link, wherein the chain links are connected with one another by means of an end member of a chain link with a comparatively narrow back portion which is inserted into an end member of a neighbouring chain link with a comparatively broad back portion such that the rivet holes in the parallel wall portions of the two end members are positioned opposite one another for engaging a rivet or a shaft member.
It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,302,288 to manufacture chains by riveting, the ends of the rivet being deformed such that the rivet is retained in the axial direction.
It is a drawback of this prior art that comparatively long rivets have to be used, said rivets protruding beyond said parallel wall portions in the broad chain links, or the heads thereof subsequently having to be pressed into the wall portions, and, consequently, fairly much material is to be used for these rivets. At the same time, it is in several connections a disadvantage that the exterior of such a chain is not smooth, or that the chain links are substantially broader than necessary.
DE A1 197 05 019 discloses a chain with alternating broad and narrow chain links which are pivotally connected with hinge pins inserted into holes in the chain links. The ends of the hinge pins are flush with the exterior sides of the broad chain links and are welded thereto. In an alternative embodiment no holes are provided in the broad chain links, and the hinge pins are welded to the interior side of the broad chain links.
From DE 26 22 602 B2 a chain is likewise known, in which hinge pins are welded onto the side members.
It is a drawback of this prior art that welding is used for retaining the hinge pins in axial direction, as this from a technical point of view is difficult and costly in manufacture.
An object of the invention is to provide a chain and a method for the manufacture of chains by riveting, which chains do not suffer from the above drawbacks.
This object is met by means of a chain which is characterized in that the rivet or the shaft member has such length that the rivet may be axially retained by deformation of areas of said wall portions around the rivet holes from the exterior side for reducing the clear opening of the rivet holes.